Xanthan gum/bioactive silica glass hybrid scaffolds reinforced with cellulose nanocrystals: Morphological, mechanical and in vitro cytocompatibility study

[Display omitted] •XG/SG/CNCs hybrid scaffolds were prepared by freeze casting and freeze drying process.•Possible mineralization behavior was introduced into hybrid scaffolds using bioactive SG sol-gel.•Effect of bioactive SG and CNCs was investigated on properties of hybrid scaffolds.•Both mechanical and cytocompatibility behavior of the hybrid scaffolds was significantly improved. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) reinforced xanthan gum (XG)/silica glass (SG) hybrid scaffolds were prepared by freeze drying process. The results showed hybrid scaffolds highly porous structure with tunable and improved mechanical stability when incorporated with SG and CNCs. In addition, good pre-osteoblast cytocompatibility (MC3T3-E1 cells attachment and proliferation) was observed to increase with time and stiffness.